Everyone Knows Dogs are Really Smart

Humans are full of ironies and inconsistencies. So many clients, acquaintances, and friends tell me how smart their dogs are. Here’s the paradox: even though they know their dogs are smart, when it comes to training, they treat their dogs like they are incapable of learning.

Training dogs involves creating a scenario where the dog is likely to offer the behavior that you are seeking. When the behavior is offered by the dog, it is rewarded heavily. The reward makes it very likely that the behavior will be repeated. Dogs need to be motivated.

Training dogs using the above technique is very easy, yet I see clients coercing, using leash corrections, yelling, and repeating commands over and over. Give your dog a chance to problem solve without distraction. Most dogs can figure out what you want if you are consistent. Every day your dog is faced with a set of problems. There are resources that your dog wants. These resources are controlled by a human. The dog spends each day trying to figure out how to get these resources. It’s up to you to make the solution to your dog’s behavior = the behaviors that you desire from your dog.

Please, don’t insult your dog’s intelligence. Give him the patience and elements necessary for him to learn in a rewarding and safe environment.